SeniorNet : Attended the AGM along with about 40 others. As usual it was efficiently run and didn't degenerate into a talk-fest as I thought it would as there were a couple of remits on the table, one of which was quite contentious. What amazes me is that all the Regions except ours had to have a vote to select their Regional Rep. Amazing - I am surprised people want to take on the work but it shows what good people we have in the movement.
Rotary: I was away at a day long Rotary seminar last Sunday. I attended on the Treasurers side and it answered several questions I had about the new Charitable Trust set up. A great turnout - probably the biggest I have attended - 369 Rotarians all keen and eager to learn more.
Car Insurance: We had a visit from Gordon Harcourt from Fair Go who is investigating a problem they are looking into. We are only very slightly involved but I missed the opportunity to tell him my views on compulsory car insurance. Oh well another time.
But I did tell David Garrett an ACT MP who I met when he spoke to Rotary about his 3 Strikes legislation. He claimed that there are legal problems (problems that they don't have in the UK, USA, Australia, Germany etc etc).
As for his talk on the 3 Strikes; I basically supported his views as from what I heard and have read about the NZ legislation it won't have the Californian hiccups where criminals have gone to jail for life for stealing a bar of chocolate.
Rugby: We are not looking good for the AB's with Nonu now also added to the injury list. As for the Super 14 - our only hope is the Crusaders. They have saved their best for last while the Hurricanes saved their worst for last. What a bumbling pathetic effort against the Waratahs!!
Telecom: My pet hate. I see in today's news that because of a small minority they are ditching the Internet Plan I use. God they are pathetic.They have still not been able to solve our Laptop connection problem.
Money: I was discussing the Governments Guarantee for money invested with Finance Company's with a friend. He was a bit wary while I am confident that there is no down side. Well, we are going to see as one of the firms we have $$ with has gone down the gurgler - which doesn't surprise me as I invested because the rate was too good to be true. Thanks taxpayers!! Why they also Guarantee the interest is a mystery. Principal yes - but the interest as well seems strange.
Kidney Stones: Am typing this after getting back from the hospital at mid-day where Christine has been since about 3 AM this morning with what, after an X Ray, turned out to be two kidney stones. She still has to get rid of them. I had one a few years ago and thought I was going to die. But TWO..
As for the socialised Health System it stood up OK. Of course it could be better, the walls in the hospital look a bit worse for wear, but under our system - no questions asked. They are just here to help you get better.
Who in their right mind would want a US style system - several million mad Americans it would seem. The sign above sums it up - don't take money from a socialist scheme to give to a socialist scheme - it could lead to Communism or even worse - decent health care.
Stories: All things being equal, being a man who has a million stories, with at least 5 of them being funny, I said back in the 21 March 2010 posting that I will from time to time (meaning when I remember) I will blog them (is that English??).
Going to Waiheke Island reminded me of the time when I was about 18 and I went a few times as the Agency Escort to Waiheke on the boat that used to connect the island to Auckland, the Baroona. The story about my taking the revolver home is told under that first story blog of 21 March 2010.
Today's stories are about a couple of trips we made.
Bali: The first is when we went to Bali. The first morning we ordered breakfast and the waiter said he would go and get our change. We were eating on the seashore and he had to wander back to the hotel a couple of minutes away. We of course were eager to get underway, exploring our new surroundings, but after about 15 minutes as he hadn't returned I decided to work out the change.
With the exchange rate at that time being about 10,000 Rupiahs to the NZ $ it was about 50 cents!
We decided to take off, not being concerned about the amount, but then we saw him running back and so we got our change.
Later, being harassed by the hawkers asking where we were from, we strung several Maori words together. They then left us alone thinking we couldn't speak English, or German etc. Forgetting myself as we walked on I said something to Christine about Mosque in front of us only to hear in the background with a big laugh "Liar liar". Turning around he had a great big grin. They are wonderful people. Pity the tourist industry has been ruined by the terrorists.
The problem I have found is that when people ask can you speak English, we say yes when we should say " just a very little:' until we hear what they want.
Miami: In Miami (where the native tongue is Spanish) we stopped one Sunday morning (after taking a wrong turn and going through Little Havana where they were cleaning their guns in the front of their houses) we stopped to admire a mural .
Getting back into the car a man approached us and blabbered on in Spanish.
This time I was prepared.
Seeing my look of incomprehension he then asked do you speak English. I said - "English - a little".
He then told us a story about how his car had broken down and would we lend him $200. I turned to Christine and while shrugging my shoulders said ' Pakeha Aoteoroa Tau Henare Taihape Matu Rata etc". He just looked us and took off to find another mug.
Later that morning in a McDonalds, Christine was told she looked Jewish so could she have a word with the Manager to get this guy a job!! We told him we were not Jewish, we were tourists and couldn't help.
